Monday’s Headlines Are On a Highway to Hell

Literally. As the world burns, states are taking federal infrastructure dollars earmarked for climate change and using them to build roads instead.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on July 31, 2023

Atlanta: not walkable.

|AtlantaCitizen

Thirty-eight states have siphoned off a total of $755 million for climate change under the federal infrastructure package and are spending it on highway construction instead. (Washington Post)
The New York Times wrote about the dangers of e-bikes, but most of the crashes it describes involved young cyclists getting hit by cars on busy roads.
A fired Tesla employee is blowing the whistle on the company's dangerous "full self-driving" mode. (Jalopnik)
Run-down stations, filthy motels and camaraderie among passengers: A Guardian writer traverses the U.S. via Greyhound.
As D.C. Metro GM Randy Clarke enters his second year, he's turning his attention from a train-car shortage and a derailment probe to a looming $750 million shortfall and potential service cuts. (Post)
Georgia legislators are reluctant to let the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority mount cameras on buses to enforce its new bus only-lanes. (AJC)
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has again changed his mind on a location for a planned Denny Triangle light rail station. (The Urbanist)
Milwaukee County approved a sales tax hike, part of which will go toward transit. (Wis Politics)
Crashes took a nosedive after Madison started its Vision Zero program three years ago, but traffic deaths have risen. (Wisconsin State Journal)
Uber settled with a San Francisco cyclist who said he was doored by one of its drivers. (Bloomberg)
Charlotte is reopening East Independence Boulevard bus lanes that have been closed for construction since 2017. (WCNC)
Elderly and disabled residents of L.A.'s Palms neighborhood say the sidewalks are so bad they're forced to drive one block to doctor's appointments. (CBS News)
Boston's Bluebikes bike-share is adding new stations. (Globe)
Fresno is adding protected bike lanes on Palm and Belmont avenues. (Bee)
California parking scofflaws, rejoice: A California court ruled that San Francisco can't tow your car for unpaid tickets. (CBS News)
A Toronto driver just abandoned his car in the middle of a streetcar lane. (blogTO)

Blake Aued

Promoted

Stay in touch

More from Streetsblog USA

induced demand

Confirmed: Non-Driving Infrastructure Creates ‘Induced Demand,’ Too

Widening a highway to cure congestion is like losing weight by buying bigger pants — but thanks to the same principle of "induced demand," adding bike paths and train lines to cure climate actually works.

Kea Wilson

January 9, 2026

Today's Headlines

Friday’s Headlines Are Unsustainably Expensive

To paraphrase former New York City mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan, the car payment is too damn high.

January 9, 2026

Talking Headways

Talking Headways Podcast: Poster Sessions at Mpact in Portland

Young professionals discuss the work they’ve been doing including designing new transportation hubs, rethinking parking and improving buses.

Jeff Wood

January 8, 2026

Streetsblog

Exploding Costs Could Doom One of America’s Greatest Highway Boondoggles

The Interstate Bridge Replacement Project and highway expansion between Oregon and Washington was already a boondoggle. Then the costs ballooned to $17.7 billion.